We slice and dice ourselves into different parts to fit different environments and end up diluting our personalities and power so much that the best someone might get, either professionally or personally, is a lukewarm version of us (we, too, in turn, get a lukewarm version of our life — it’s this lukewarm version that keeps us at least one arm’s length to true contentment and to those feelings of meaning we most want as part of our daily lives).

No loving leader in the world changed it by fitting in or only using part of his or her voice or true expression. We are all leaders (part of what I’ll share this weekend at prison, we are) ~ leading or nurturing families, businesses, corporations, movements, some of which we can essentially call our children (they are our wishes let loose on the world, a  movement if I’ve ever known one). And likely the most important of all – leading ourselves.

Whatever you consider your thing beyond the 9-5 or in addition to it — the thing that you’re madly called to do (what you consider your art, your passion or purpose projects, your use of your wild creativity and/or solutionizing for the greater good etc.) — it all must have (gets to have) the full expression of you baked into it.

That most full expression needs to take you over completely.

YOU, and no one else, need to take you over completely.

#creativeheroine
#brandofwoman

[📸: Mayan ruins in my homeland last July]

Make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…enjoy your business, enjoy your life!

Life is good,

Michelle Ghilotti
Success Designer, Brand Activator & Social Entrepreneur 

And the leaf blower’s continue to blow — stay at home order: be productive in reflection (and write some cards).

This morning upon hearing that familiar noise from before the world stopped (and for the first time being grateful for it because it points to life, as in, LIFE is still here and things [us?] yes, us, we are [still] growing), I remembered the many times after Dino’s accident and death when I was pulled over in my car crying, thinking to myself, everyone who is passing by or who will see me today, don’t know…they don’t know what’s happened or is happen-ING and even if they do, they and life continue to speed on by —

Shouldn’t the world stop or move slower when someone’s heart breaks, I thought.

💔

Today, we’ve all been pulled over by life and I don’t ever want to rush by or be oblivious in any of the ways I potentially was before to the pains/realities/needs/cries of those near or far (this includes Mother Earth).

I can do better.

I want to continue to, not just look the person in the eyes who is working the cashier at the store, but refer to them by the name on his or her tag given to them by love (pausing as I say it ~ is there anything more I want to say or ask them?), asking how someone is, not out of habit “how are you?” “good”, ok, next on the checklist), but out of a true desire to know and with an additional three more minutes than the three I had to hear a more full truth (pausing again ~ is there anything more I want to say or ask them?), looking at the plastic on the ground at the beach (pausing ~ is there anything more here, there, within me or within my home I can change?)…

That’s what’s most productive now and anytime, maybe — to keep pausing, even when inconvenient…to keep reflecting and seeing the truth of what and who lives around us, even when it hurts…to continue asking and asking questions to ourselves galore, because then might we just stumble on the answer?

❤️

#pulledoverbylife
#stayathomeorder
#creativeheroine

Make happiness (or peace or gentleness) your business — especially now during quarantine.

Life is good,

Michelle Ghilotti
Success Designer, Brand Activator & Social Entrepreneur 

In 10+ years on Facebook/social media, this is the second meme I’m posting — relevant + funny (I need the humor)…

The first meme I posted weeks BQ/before quarantine related to the four days I fasted in the wild in July solely drinking water: “I used to think coffee was the grown-up drink. Then I thought alcohol was the grown-up drink. Now I have achieved full enlightenment and know that water is the grown-up drink.”

I know this last one ~>  <~ has likely changed for a lot of people  and in our next LIVEN livestream [Sunday 9:05am Pacific https://www.facebook.com/michelleghilottimandel], Josh and I might just tackle the subject and tell you our story of doing the complete opposite…it’s been awesome and so interesting!

🏻‍ 

#UNMUTEYOURSELF
#haveasnackofwater 

Make happiness (or peace or gentleness) your business — especially now during quarantine.

Life is good,

Michelle Ghilotti
Success Designer, Brand Activator & Social Entrepreneur 

All the markings found on our bodies can be gorgeous reference points and honest representations of what we’ve taken in, and of all we’ve let go.

What we’ve held onto or let go, what we tend to call good or bad, is exactly as it is and needs to be.

It’s brought you here, sitting in the passenger seat of a car, with age the sage inside, giving you back thanks for *not* being the passenger in your life…

#creativeheroine
#brandofwoman
#drinkthewater
#bethewater
#agethesage

🏄🏽‍♀️✨🩰

Make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…enjoy your business, enjoy your life!

Life is good,

Michelle Ghilotti
Success Designer, Brand Activator & Social Entrepreneur